


Under Lock and Key

by LozB4



Series: Lock and Key [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, M/M, Protective Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Protective Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:20:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26585023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LozB4/pseuds/LozB4
Summary: Booker goes back on his betrayal meaning he never leads Andy to Copley's trap, meaning Joe and Nicky aren't rescued from their torture and Merrick keeps his word of holding them under lock and key.Unfortunately for him, he never learned not to hurt an immortal warrior's (not) boyfriend.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Lock and Key [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934806
Comments: 30
Kudos: 356





	Under Lock and Key

**Author's Note:**

> Way more angsty than intended but please enjoy

Every time the door opens Joe half expects it to be Andy coming in with a burst of gunfire to save them. But it never is.

Ten days. He counts them by how often the obsessive doctor vanishes for at least 8 hours, presumably to sleep. He likes those hours the most, even in the dark lab with only dim back up lights allowing him to see his Nicolo. They're in the same positions they were in when he woke up from the knockout drug, and the only time they are allowed to move is after hours of begging to use the toilet. They get such 'privileges' just once a day and the entire experience involves far too many people watching for Joe's liking so he just refuses the water offered to them to cut out that problem.

Nicky is to his right, at first he was happy to laugh and joke with Joe, to speak of old memories in ancient languages to make sure nobody could listen in, but as each day wears on his love becomes more silent, sinking into the depths of his fears and the exhaustion of hundreds of deaths in just a few days.

The doctor, Kozak, he thinks he heard someone call her, has been gone for at least an hour now, the blood has dried again on Nicky's stomach. She focussed on Nicky all day, he annoyed her by knocking over an entire tray of samples with one well timed kick.

"Nicolo?" Joe ventures into the silence and it takes a second but Nicky mumbles,

"Sono qui."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm tired Yusef." Is all he says and for Nicky to admit that he must be truly exhausted. "Sleeping without your arms around me is..." He seems to dance over several words before ending on, "Scary." The innocence of it makes Joe's heart ache.

"Andy will come for us. And then we're going to run away. Far away. I'll take you back to Malta and hold onto you for years."

Nicky smiles at him for a second then mumbles, "Promise?"

"I swear it."

Nicky sighs, his trapped arms twitching as he looks down at his body. "I want to shower. I want the water to be so hot it almost hurts, I want-" He just finishes with a groan and goes silent. "Andy is coming right?" His voice is small and Joe longs to break the cuffs restraining him just to hold Nicky.

"She'll come."

Another 14 days they spend strapped to those stupid tables with that stupid woman cutting into them. Joe hates her even more with every scalpel she slices through Nicky's skin.

That is until she's amassed jars upon jars of their body tissues, their organs, even their hearts and parts of their brains. Once she has all that she seems to lose interest in them, instead sticking a needle in them to see how long it takes to expel it or injecting something into their veins and abandoning them for the day. To Joe it just seems like she's having fun with it now.

Merrick only shows his face again 24 days after they first met the little ferret. He idly looks over the samples and the suffering he's put the immortals through before saying. "If you have no more use for them-" Joe's heart begins to race, maybe they'll let them go, he wants to kill Merrick but at the opportunity to be free he'd gladly just walk away and never go back. "We'll lock them down in the vault, no one will look for them there. If you need them again just tell me. Otherwise I'll let Keane train some men on them."

The same tall man who was there when the van doors opened appears and heads to Nicky first, Nicky who had been lying still and seemingly asleep. That is until just one hand is free and grasps Keane's wrist, snapping it instantly and then freeing his other hand. He goes for Merrick, Joe questions that strategy until he realises the Italian doesn't want to hurt Merrick, he wants a hostage to hold back the rest. He stands with his head raised in defiance with an arm around Merrick's neck, a scalpel digging into the rat's throat. There is a squad of about 20 in the room, guns all aimed at Nicky but they can't shoot. "You let us go. Let us go and keep your miserable life."

"Unfortunately that little deal doesn't work for me." Merrick grits out around the arm around his throat and Joe sees far too late and Nicky even later, that Merrick has got a hold of one of the injections, one Joe remembers to set his veins on fire with pain.

"Nicky his hand!" Nicky looks just milliseconds to late as the needle pierces through his trousers and into his leg. For a good few seconds he holds out, gritting his teeth and digging the scalpel in but not with enough strength to harm Merrick with more than a scratch before he falls back with a cry of pain, gripping his leg.

Nicky is so close to Joe, so much so that his still trapped hands can brush the back of Nicky's head. "Nicky, Nicky free my hand." Joe fights to capture Nicky's attention from the agonising pain and he feels bad for even trying to doing so, Nicky's brain shouldn't have to cope with that much agony and the pressure of getting them free. "Nicky listen to me- free my hand- Nicky-"

Nicky is hauled to his feet by Keane but the immortal seems to barely register the man holding him up. "We'll take them separately. This one will behave for 20 minutes if I'm correct Dr. Kozak?"

"You are right, yes, he reacted less to it than the other though, I would still restrain him."

Nicky is hauled out and Joe struggles even more, shouting until his voice goes hoarse and then heals again so he can continue shouting. He shouts and swears and curses the entire time that they lead him down through the floors of the stupidly large building. Only stopping when he sees Nicky again, chained up to the hard stone floor of a cell. His head is dropped against his knees and he doesn't react even when Joe's shouts announce his presence. "Nicky-"

With all his body weight Joe flings himself in Nicky's direction, pulling Keane and 2 other guards with him but they quickly set him upright again and keep walking beyond Nicky's cell. "No- no where are you taking me- Nicky! Nicky!"

They lock Joe in a similar looking cell, just one over from Nicky's but he can't see him. And that is the worst torture yet. The chains they put him in are locked to the centre of the floor but they are long enough that Joe can pace every inch of that concrete.

There is no way of telling time in that cell, the lights stay incessantly bright 24/7 and there is no routine of being fed. Sometimes it seems like weeks between meals. They can't starve to death after all.

Like Merrick said they occasionally use the immortals to train his little personal army but after Joe breaks one of their legs, they don't return.

Worst of all though he hears nothing of Nicky. Maybe they moved him to another vault. Maybe he's back in that lab being tested. Although it seems an illogical fear, Joe fears most of all that maybe they have found a way to kill him.

When Keane finally enters again Joe manages to get him trapped in his chains and pin him to the ground. "I want to see Merrick."

"Why?"

"Where's Nicky?"

"Same place he's been since we took you down here. Why do you want to see Merrick?"

"I want to negotiate."

"You have nothing to negotiate."

"I'm sitting on your neck. I could break it."

"You think Merrick cares?"

"What I'm asking will cost him nothing. Maybe even less trouble. I. Want. To. See. Merrick."

Merrick does appear just 10 minutes later, looking distracted as he strolls into the cell and takes in the situation. "I'm in the middle of a very important call. What is it?"

"You're obsessed with money right?"

"You could say that."

"I want to negotiate."

"No matter how much you offer, nothing will equal the cost of your freedom. You are priceless."

"Thanks but no- I want to be with Nicky. I want to share a cell with him. I want you to feed us every day and let us shower once a week. And fresh clothes."

Joe doesn't particularly mind being unwashed, when he first met Nicky they spent months of travel completely filthy but as the millennia has worn on, Nicky has become gradually more accustomed to the niceties of life which include showering and the scent of clean clothes.

"So you can plot an escape?"

"I have your head of security by the neck trust me I'm already plotting an escape. You'll know about that when it happens."

"In exchange for what?"

"There's a piece of artwork stashed in Canada worth millions. Maybe billions. I'll give you the exact co-ordinates."

Merrick seems to debate over it for at least 5 minutes before saying. "Release Keane and he'll take you to your new cell. Your precious Nicky will join you there when I have that art."

Joe is transported to a cell just along the corridor but as opposed to empty concrete there is a small bed, a single blanket, a seemingly functioning toilet and a shower in one corner. The cell is just as lonely as the other until the door swings open again and Nicky stumbles in before the door slams behind him.

Joe's hands are free whilst Nicky's are still bound but it doesn't matter because they crash into each other like a wave to shore and Joe holds on tightly, carding a hand through Nicky's limp hair. "My love."

"Yusef." Is all Nicky breathes out, pressing his head into the crook of Joe's neck. "Yusef."

Joe brings them to sit on the bed which he then realises is not at all comfortable but a bed with Nicolo in it is a good bed regardless.

"Joe what did you give him?"

Nicky's voice is worried and instantly Joe soothes that fear, stroking over his face and into his hair again. "Nothing of importance my love. The painting in Canada- the one you hate."

"It looks like a two year old painted it. You've done much better ones."

"Regardless. Its worth millions and it got you back in my arms."

From where Nicky's head rests on his shoulder, Joe can see his gaze pulled to the shower. "We get hot water once a week for 5 minutes. I haven't used it yet."

They stand together under the roasting hot stream of water, just like Nicky described all those weeks ago it is a little too hot, burning Joe's skin which heals instantly but with a bar of soap shared between them they manage to wash the blood and sweat off themselves under the steaming water.

Of course no marks mar Nicky's skin but the sheer amount of blood that covers him gives Joe an idea of the suffering he's been through without him. Still with a determination set in his jaw Joe makes it his mission to wash off each blood stain with gentle fingers, lathering the soap in after and leaving Nicky's skin soft and clean again.

Instead of lying in their usual sleeping position, they lie so Joe is on his back in the small bed and Nicky is curled on his side, his head on Joe's shoulder and Joe's arm curled around his back to keep him secure on the bed. They only have the blanket to cover their lower halves as no fresh clothes were delivered and neither could stomach putting the bloodstained and sweat soaked old ones back on.

For the first time in weeks Joe actually feels relaxed, with Nicky in his arms he can forget that they are trapped in a millionaire's basement, that they've been tortured and imprisoned for months, that they are both naked and very definitely being watched through the two way mirror, he can even forget the fact that nobody has come to save them. Nicky shuffles his head so he can stuff his face practically into Joe's armpit to block out the light. "I'm so tired Yusef."

"Sleep then. Nobody will touch you tonight." As Nicky's body finally goes lax Joe stares up at the ceiling, a tiny smile twitching over his face as he remembers how he spoke similar words to Nicky 900 years ago.

_They had been travelling away from the bloody battle of Jerusalem for months, every time they almost reached a destination they wanted to be at, another army or a hostile group would appear and they would be forced to back track and head on again._

_They took work occasionally, guarding merchants but that only lasted long enough before one of them was killed by bandits and the merchants cast them away for fear of 'demons'._

_One such night they were sleeping under the stars, in the shelter of a palm tree with thick leaves, Nicolo lay at Yusef's side, not touching though, both of them staring at the stars and wishing for the other's touch._

_It was a strange thing for them both to love another man but several kisses had blossomed between them. Just kisses. One or the other would pull back suddenly each time with a string of apologies but it would happen again just days later. Aside from the apologies no words were spoken between them about their intimacy, sometimes Yusef wondered if it was all just dreams in his head._

_With a sudden sigh and burst of movement Yusef rolled over and cupped Nicolo's cheek, pressing their lips together and leading the deep kiss before he pulled back, beginning to apologise but Nicolo pressed a finger to his lips and whispered in Greek, "Don't apologise. Not this time."_

_In the heat of the desert they barely needed the blanket to cover their naked bodies after, Nicolo was silent, just dancing his fingers over Yusef's chest, that was until Yusef began to move away again to create space between them. "Yusef- no apologies- I meant it. I don't want a love like this. The shame and the distance."_

_"What do you want then?"_

_"You."_

_Nicolo never had the same way with words as Yusef, but he always got the point across and this was a good enough point that got Yusef kissing his mouth again hard._

_Nicolo's touches and kisses persuaded Yusef to lie down again, his arm around Nicolo's back. "I sleep better than I ever have before when you hold me accidentally in your sleep." Nicolo admitted quietly, his hand brushing over the larger one that settled against his bare waist._

_"Then sleep and I won't let you go this time."_

For many more weeks they are allowed to remain in that cell, the only disturbance is the one time a week when Kozak returns to take each of them for half a day. Nicky gets put back to Joe first, dazed usually and covered in his own blood but there would be only seconds to tend to him before Joe would be taken and returned hours later in the same condition. By which time Nicky is back to perfect health and washed by the cold shower.

It is those days they use the hot water together, washing away the fear and torture of the day with steaming water and gentle touches.

Joe understands why Kozak never takes them at the same time, at the right opportunities it would be so easy for them to escape but even she understands just enough about human nature to know that one would never leave without the other. That is why his plan never involves those days.

They use a gas on them sometimes when they want to enter the room, the gas is lethal and always leaves Joe to wake with a rancid taste in his mouth. Mainly he hates it though because through his own suffering he can see Nicky writhe and choke on the ground like a fish out of water before the light fades and they both go still.

Unfortunately for Merrick, and Keane, there is always a tell-tale small click before the gas comes on which with the right timing, which has taken Joe several times to perfect, he can stop breathing before the gas floods the cell. Its deadly potency only lasts for 30 seconds in which he has to act like it has effected him and lure the unsuspecting guards into the room. Of course he has told Nicky about his trick but on the occasion that Joe finally gets his timing right, Nicky doesn't and writhes and chokes on the floor for real whilst Joe fakes it next to him, a hand conveniently over his mouth to prevent any accidental inhalation.

Once they both go still, Nicky deathly so with his eyes wide open and glassy, the door opens and Keane enters. "Merrick wants to try out so biological weapons on them today but the cell won't withstand it. I'll take this one first, you take the other 5 minutes after." He instructs a guard behind him and Joe is so glad he conveniently fell closest to the door which means he is first and he can swipe the pistol from Keane's holster.

Joe relishes the look of surprise that passes on Keane's face as the bullet slams through his chest and he falls backwards with a thump as the next bullet hits the guard in the neck. Joe glances back at Nicky who is still unmoving, the return from death following the gas is slow and Nicky won't wake for another 5 minutes so Joe decides to be proactive and heads down the corridor shooting down all the guards he meets before returning to Nicky who is just sitting up and pulling a face at the taste in his mouth.

"Joe! You did it?"

"Finally. Lets get out of here." He places one of the guns he accumulated in Nicky's hand then in perfect synchronicity they head down the corridor, shooting down any who appeared at the sound of gunshots.

"We need to deal with Merrick." Joe states firmly as they head to the vault door but Nicky shakes his head.

"There will be a time for that. We need to escape today though. Kozak and Merrick will have to wait."

"Nicky they'll come after us."

"Let them. We'll be waiting with loaded guns. The longer we spend here the more likely they are to use more gas or more injections. We know he's been developing enough. We need to go Joe. Please." Joe just nods, using Keane's key to unlock the actual vault door. "Do you remember how many floors to the exit?"

"Any window is an exit for us I say we go up until we find one."

"You are correct as always my love."

Out of the realm of the illegal activities of the vault, relatively few people try to stop them, most of these people are just employees who have no idea how twisted their boss is and neither immortal wishes them harm.

The closest window they find is in the stairwell which seems to be about 3 floors off the ground onto a quiet street below. Nicky glances down then says, "You go first I will guard your back."

"Nico-"

"Jump or I'll push you Yusef." They make firm eye contact for just a second before Joe shoots a single bullet at the glass to weaken it before throwing all his body weight at it and falling through. Even after 900 years as an immortal his stomach still drops as he falls although he resists the urge to scream.

There is a crack as he lands and he groans, being showered with little pieces of glass as he recovers his bearings and remembers Nicky hasn't jumped out yet. There are several gun shots from above and Joe gets up, ready to run right back into the building to save Nicky.

He is stopped in doing this as more glass shatters above him and Nicky falls out the window holding onto Merrick who lands on the ground next to Joe. The only difference is both immortals get up and Merrick stays unmoving on the hard pavement.

Lightly Joe touches Nicky's back and they begin to move away but without being able to resist Joe looks back and mutters, "Enjoy your balance asshole."

They could call Andy and link up with the team again but after months of abandonment there is resentment bubbling inside of Joe and considering Nicky doesn't even suggest the idea, Joe knows his much more sedate lover feels the same. Instead they leave a brief message for Andy to find in the event that she is looking then vanish off into the New Zealand mountains.

Joe's first choice of destination would have been Malta but he knows that it is probably the first place anyone would look for them so they stay in the small cottage they bought almost 50 years ago in New Zealand. Given their preference for Malta they haven't visited New Zealand in years so the cottage is dusty but still standing in one piece.

They haven't stopped travelling since they left Merrick's building in London so Joe's urge is to flop onto the dusty bed, lying on top of Nicky if that is what it takes to get him to stay still, but thinking beyond himself Joe knows Nicky will want to wash the horrors of the last months away. "Come on we may have to heat water for a bath the old fashioned way."

"Don't you want to sleep?" Nicky asks, not looking at Joe as he goes around opening the windows.

"Do you?" Nicky shrugs,

"Not really."

"Then we shall bathe."

Whilst Nicky had behaved completely normally on the plane Joe realises in all the buckets of water they carry and heat, Nicky never looks at him once. It is only when they are sitting on opposite ends of the bath and Nicky is trying to wash Joe's calf but not look at him that Joe leans forward and pulls Nicky's chin up.

Nicky has never been able to grow a beard very successfully, and he 'died' before he could mature anymore but in the months they've been captured he's grown a beard to rival the one Joe had at the start of capture. Fondly Joe rubs his fingers through the bristly hair. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I could have got us out so long ago, you were asking me to free you and I couldn't. I couldn't think of anything else but the pain, I'm immortal I shouldn't be affected by it. And you needed me to free you and I failed you. I blew our chance- I'm sorry."

"Nico look at me- look at me. You've never failed me, you never will. Its not your fault. I knew it was too much to ask when I said it. That stuff was awful, when she put it in me I wanted to tear my skin off to escape it. I don't blame you. And you don't get to blame you either."

Nicky just leans forward, probably intending to rest his head on Joe's chest but they're not close enough so he settles for resting his head on Joe's knee until Joe shuffles closer, arranging Nicky's legs and then pulling him into a hug. Its not comfortable and Joe is seriously questioning whether he may have accidentally dislocated Nicky's hip but the man in question doesn't make a peep as he just hugs back tighter.

"Do you think Andy really left us?" He mumbles into Joe's wet skin. Joe pauses, his head resting against Nicky's, whilst he is angry and that hurt part of him wants to blame their leader for everything that happened to them, he is sure there is a good reason. Besides what right did he have to be angry when Quynh had been in a much worse situation for 500 years. Joe saw the pain that caused Andy, she'd never willingly do the same to Nicky and Joe.

"No, no something must have happened. We'll find out eventually I just- I need this. I need to have you right here and know nobody is going to take you away."

"I'm not going away. Sono qui."


End file.
